In addition to announcing that their direct operations are 100% renewable-powered, Apple also said that nine more of its suppliers have made that commitment for their Apple-related work, bringing the total to 23.

Timing: Apple's announcement comes just days after Google said it met 100% of its worldwide power needs with renewables for the first time last year, though there's no evidenced the announcements are linked.

For Apple, the supplier pledges are a key part. About three-fourth's of the company's total carbon footprint is from manufacturing, and the emissions from electricity to power those facilities is a major reason why.

One level deeper: The company said it has 25 renewable power projects worldwide and another 15 under construction. When completed, it will total over 1.4 gigawatts of renewable generation capacity across 11 countries, Apple said.

For a sense of scale, the U.S. added a total of 10.6 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic generating capacity last year, according to the industry's main trade group.

On the record: Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP for the environment, policy and social initiatives, said the 100% renewables level for Apple's direct operations meets a goal set almost 10 years ago.

“You do not have to choose between a healthy company and a healthy environment, and this is proof of it.”

— Jackson, who was President Obama’s first EPA administrator, tells Axios.